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Each year on New Year’s Day I eat pork & sauerkraut for good luck. Well, to be honest, it isn’t only for luck, I happen to really like pork & sauerkraut and don’t get to eat it that often because I am the only person in my family who will touch it. :) So, I use NYD as an excuse to cook my pork & sauerkraut and stink up the house, as my family puts it. Yesterday, as my pork & sauerkraut was cooking, I began to wonder about other New Year’s Day Food Traditions and came up with all kinds of traditions when I googled for info on it. Gotta love google. What did we do before it was around? I am editing this post to add another fun Food Traditions Article. Next year I may want to give Hoppin’ John a try or maybe some version of Black Eyed Peas with Rice or Quinoa.

One of my favorite things about pork & sauerkraut is that is it naturally gluten-free! WOOOHOO!! There are many different ways that I have made pork & sauerkraut, but the easiest way has got to be in my crock pot. I use a couple pounds of country style pork ribs (nice & fatty….don’t worry, you’ll work it off, remember your resolutions?), sauerkraut (I prefer the kind you find in the refrigerated meat section as opposed to the canned stuff and I won’t be making my own any time soon…YUCK!), salt & pepper and a little touch of brown sugar if I feel like it, I did not yesterday. Believe it or not, I am all sweeted out, I think. BTW, I remember when I was little, maybe around 10 or 11, my parents making their own sauerkraut. What a process that was. It stunk too, obviously. I honestly would prefer not to think about how it is made. 😉 I started by browning my pork ribs in a frying pan sprayed with Pam….no need to add extra fat with oil, there is enough already. I seasoned the pork with S & P. I turned the crock pot on low and added half the bag of sauerkraut. Once the meat was browned on both sides, I added to the crock and spread the rest of the kraut on top. I added more S &P and this is where you would add the brown sugar if you wanted to. I cooked on low for 8+ hours, until the meat was falling off of the bone. I served over Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes. I didn’t take a picture. I considered it, but there is really nothing attractive about pork & sauerkraut, it just tastes amazing! LOL! Use your imagination here. God gave you a brain for a reason. Since I was the only one who ate this, I froze half to have in the next few weeks. Don’t get me wrong, I love my pork & sauerkraut, but not every night of the week for several weeks. ;) I did get Hannah to try the pork, sans kraut, and she really like it, dipped in ranch, of course. Whatever works.

So, what did you have for New Year’s Day dinner? Do you eat the same thing each year on New Year’s Day? Any good recipes for Black Eye Peas or Hoppin’ John?